Combined foot and leg rest



June 29, 1937. s. E. MEAD COMBINED FOOT AND LEG REST Filed Oct. 19, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l Il/IIIII Will June 29, 1937. G. E. MEAD COMBINED FOOT AND LEG REST 2 Sheets-Shed 2 Filed Oct. 19, 1936 Patented June 29, 1937 CUMBlilE-D FGOT AND LEG REST George E. Mead, Fair Haven, N. if. Application October 19, 1936, Serial No. 106,48?

2 Claims.

This invention concerns a combined foot and leg rest, and the objects and nature of the invention will be understood in the light of the following explanations of the accompanying drawings 5 that illustrate what I now believe to be the preferred mechanical expression or embodiment of my invention from among other constructions within the spirit and scope of the invention.

An object of the invention is to produce an improved rocking stool or rest for comfortably supporting and resting both the feet and legs of the occupant of an adjacent chair, such as a rocking chair; that shall be relatively small in size and low in heighth with respect to the elevation of the seat of the associated chair, and rigid, strong, and economical in structure as well as ornamental in appearance.

A further object of the invention is to produce a rockable rest for the feet and legs of the occupant of an adjacent chair, that is strong and economical in structure and that embodies a rocker supported main frame embodying rigid upright opposite side or frames of approximately crossed or X-like formation.

A further object of the invention is to improve foot and leg rests with the end in view of producing a novel rest, for the legs and feet of the occupant of a separate adjacent seat, that will constitute a relatively-small separate ornamental article of furniture of compact strong durable structure carried by rockers forming fixed structural portions of the assembled article.

And a further object of the invention is to provide an improved combined foot and leg rest, capable of being produced by the builder or manufacturer and packed and shipped in separated or knocked down condition consisting of separated individually complete sections, capable of being assembled by the unskilled ultimate consumer, into complete rigid operative combined foot and leg rest form.

7 With the foregoing, and hereinafter appearing objects in View, the invention consists in certain novel features in construction, organization and ,5 combinations as hereinafter more fully explained,

and specified by the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof:

Fig. 1 shows an embodiment of my invention in side elevation, showing an associated chair and the occupant thereof shown by broken lines, with hisfeet and legs resting in the combined leg and foot rest.

Fig. 2 shows the leg and foot rest of Fig. 1 in perspective.

Fig. is a perspective view showing the two upright side supporting frames, the filling panel for the feet, and the filling panel for the legs, all separated ready for assembly and rigidly se curing together by any suitable means, as by screw threaded bolts, screws, glue or otherwise.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of filling frames for the feet and le s, respectively, adapted to carry suitable padding and upholstery where a non-upholstered filling panel is not desired.

5 shows in perspective the two bars of a side frame separated from each other and from the bracing and connecting rocker, to show how the bars where they cross can be rabbeted halfway through to form a half-lapped joint.

The combined foot and leg rest or article shown is relatively small and low with respect to chairs commonly used in the home, and is designed and intended to constitute an attractive ornamental article in the home, of such small size as to easily carried, or moved along the floor to positions for use or to avoid obstructing floor space.

This article comprises a rigid base that includes relatively fixed sets of relatively fixed base members 5, 6, and 5. 6, and bottom elongated rocker supports 2, 2, relatively rigid and fixed to said base members, to rock on and slide along the floor.

This base, as a relatively-fixed or stationary part thereof, carries an elongated top or superstructure providing a supporting or resting member 3, for the legs of the user or occupant and a complementary supporting or resting member 4, to receive the sole portions of the users feet or the foot wear thereon. These members can be of any suitable formation and structures capable 3 of performing the functions required thereof, whether cushioned, upholstered, or mere panels, or otherwise; I

Each member 2;, i, is preferably of ample length and breadth and surface area. to function as required, and these members preferably present substantially-plane top surfaces for receiving the feet and those portions of he legs of the user approximately from about the knees down.

Said two supporting members 3, -'l, are relatively fixed and stationary with respect to the base and with respect toeach other. Said two members diverge upwardly and outwardly from the base at an angle of approximately ninety degrees. In the completed article, these two members are exposed and unobstructed from above and the open top trough formed by said members is open and unobstructed at the sides.

The foot-sole-contacting member 5 is relatively short in vertical or upstanding length to approximate at least the length of large or long feet of prospective users.

The leg supporting member 3, is relatively long in vertical or longitudinal length to approximate the length of the legs of prospective users, substantially from the knees down.

In the article composed of said long and short members relatively fixed with respect to the base and its fixed rocking support, the center of gravity is so located, that the article normally assumes a position, substantially as appears in Fig. 2, with the foot member extending upwardly at an angle of approximately forty-five degrees, and with the rocker support engaging the floor at about the central portion of the rocker support length, considering the two rockers as a unit and forming the rocker support.

It is a characteristic of my invention, that the article in its assembled form comprises a pair of substantially duplicate or similar stiff strong vertical supporting side frames 5, a, 6, to, each of X-like or cross form provided with a strong stiff bottom rocker 2, rigid therewith against relative movements, with said two side frames spaced apart and rigidly united against relative movements by any suitable cross members with or without additional cross bars or rounds, and with said members 3, t, formed by stiff strong connecting fillers or panels or other supports arranged between and fixed to the upwardly diverging arms 5a, 6a, of said side frames against relative movements.

The diverging arms of each side frame are stiff and strong and are strongly and permanently united against relative movements, and

each side frame is at its bottom or lower ends permanently and rigidly united to its rocker 2, against relative movements, as by preferably mortise and tenon glued joints or dowel glued joints or by other fastening means where wooden frames and rockers are employed or by other means, if necessary, where stamped or otherwise formed, metal side supporting frames are employed.

Where wood is employed, I gain economy in construction, and strength and ease of assembly as well as greater beauty, by forming each side frame of two preferably one-piece wooden bars 6, 6a, and 5, 5a, preferably similar or duplicates except for the differences in length, the bar 6, 6a, being relatively short, say, slightly more than one-half the length of the bar 5, 5a, in this particular example, without intending to so limit my invention. These two bars are crossed at the required, sometimes widened portions intermediate their lengths, and are rigidly fixed together at said crossing portions. I have gained strength and ease of assembly, by uniting said crossed bars by a so-called half-lapped joint, wherein the crossing portion of each bar is rabbeted half-way through the thickness of the bar, each cross cut or rabbeted portion 1, being of a width to snugly receive the opposite bar with the fiat floors of the rabbeted portions meeting face to face and firmly secured by glue and fastening means or otherwise. This interlocking secured joint provides abutting and strengthening shoulders and edges of the bars with the bars in a common vertical plane with the outer faces of the bars flush.

In the example shown, the lower ends of the base arms 5, 6, rest on and abut the top longitudinal edge of the rocker 2, somewhat near the opposite ends thereof, respectively, and can be permanently and rigidly secured to the rocker in any suitable manner. Any suitable foot restforming filler 4, is arranged between and fixedly secured to and carried by the upwardly extending rigid arms 6a, of the two vertical side frames, and likewise any suitable leg resting or receiving filler 3, is fixedly secured to and extends between the upwardly extending rigid arms 5a, of said side frames.

.These fillers or members 3, 4, are preferably in the form of panels the top surfaces of which are substantially flush with the top edges of the arms 5a, 6a, although this is not essential. Either or both of said panels 3, 4, can be upholstered to provide an ornamental fabric top surface having yielding or padded supporting backing.

For instance, each panel can consist of a rigid strong upholstery frame 8, embodying side bars, and end cross bars rigidly connecting the side bars. This frame is designed to carry the backing webbing, padding, etc. commonly employed in upholstery. The ornamental outer or exposed fabric or tapestry 9, is stretched over the backing and suitably secured at the back of the frame 8, and at the outer sides of the side bars. Each panel is preferably upholstered and finished ready for securing between the side frame arms. This upholstered panel 3, or 4, is of over-all width to snugly enter between the inner side faces of the side frame arms 5a, or 6a, and to be rigidly secured to said arms, and the same is true where the panels 3 or 4 are not upholstered. The panels can be fixed to and between the arms by any suitable means or any suitable manner, to connect and brace said arms and the two vertical supporting side frames, and fixedly support the panels.

In addition, the rigidly connected and secured side frames, can also be connected and braced by one or more rounds or cross rods I 0, at its ends fitted and secured in the frames.

The organization that includes the pair of vertical rocker-carried opposite side supporting frames, lends itself most advantageously for formation in units or sections for economical packing, and shipment, and easy assembly by the purchaser or ultimate consumer.

For instance, each side frame 5, 6, 5a, 6a, is built and finished with its rigidly attached rocker, each is a complete separate unit. Each panel 3, i, is completed as a separate unit. These four approximately fiat units can be packed together in a comparatively small space and shipped in a comparatively inexpensive enclosing and protecting container. One or more cross rods can be included in the container, and the vertical frames can be bored from their inner sides to provide sockets or mortises to receive the ends of the cross bars and securing glue.

The upwardly extending arms of 5a, 6a, and the side bars of the panel frames 8, can be bored at appropriate points, before packing, to receive securing screw threaded fastening devices l2, or the like, applied through the outer side faces of the arms 5a, 6a, to rigidly and tightly secure the panels 3, 4, to and between the arms 5a, 5a, and ta, M, respectively and to maintain the complete article in assembled operative form and condition.

If so; desired, screw threaded nuts l3, shown by dotted lines, can be fixed within the end bars of the panel frames, as by being forced into transverse slots or mortises out in said bars, or otherwise, with holes alined with the nut bores, bored into said frames through the outer sides of the frame side bars, with holes 14, bored through the arms 5a, 6a, to register with said nut bores and the holes alined therewith, for the passage of the long threaded bolts 12, to enter said nuts and tighten and secure the units together.

I do not wish to limit the broader features of my invention to the species concerning upholstered members nor to the species whereby the article can be built and shipped in separate units for later assembly.

What I claim is:-

1. A combined foot and leg rest comprising individually complete end frames, each end frame comprised of rigidly secured crossed arms and a bottom rocker secured to said arms, the upper ends of said arms curved outwardly and being of unequal length, and individually complete panels of a length and curvature to conform to the shape of said upper arm ends, said panels being rigidly secured between said upper arm ends.

2. A combined foot and leg rest, comprising individually complete end frames, each end frame comprised of crossed arms rigidly secured together by a substantially half-lapped joint, and a bottom rocker fixed tosaid arms, the upper portions of said arms diverging upwardly and outwardly, a leg rest panel extending between and secured to the upper portions of one pair of said arms, and a foot rest panel extending between and secured to the upper portions of the other pair of said arms of said end frames.

GEORGE E. MEAD. 

